Pirates’ Cove Hike: Sun, Sand, and Sea Lions

Remember that amazing beach in Southern California I wrote about a few weeks ago – Pirates’ Cove? Well, I went back for another visit and found out that there was a Pirates’ Cove Hike! The path leads to amazing views of the sunset and an overlook above a bunch of sea lions!! And, to make it even better, it’s not too strenuous.

Therefore, to continue on with my trend of outing all of my secret adventure sites – like I did with Likeke Falls and Ko Olina’s Secret Lagoon, here are some directions to get to this sea lion overlook.

​Drive to Pirates’ Cove (past Point Dume) and drive to the very end of the parking lot. There will be a $3-$8 fee to park in this lot. However, you could park on the street PRIOR to the ticket booth for free, if you are okay with a bit of a walk before the hike.
At the end of the parking lot, you should be able to see the start of an uphill path right in front of you. Follow the path to the top, where you’ll see a large blue house. Do NOT continue towards the house; rather, take a right turn, and follow that path instead.
If you continue following the paths that look like they continue and are NOT blocked (there are quite a few side paths that either abruptly end or are clearly marked with red “closed” signs), you will eventually come to a wooden balcony-like structure.
Go down in front of the wooden structure, secure your footing, and look over and down to the right. If the tide isn’t too high, the sea lions should be just below you! So do you know of any other fun secret adventures in Southern California? Mention them in the comments and maybe I’ll check them out!